Almond Cookies (Dim Sum Variety)

Ingredients

• red food coloring
• 1 cup vegetable shortening , plus
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg , beaten
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 teaspoons baking soda
• 0.5 teaspoons salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour a few drops of red food coloring into a small bowl, and set aside.

2. 2

   With an electric mixer, beat the shortening together with the sugar in a mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in the egg and almond extract.

3. 3

   In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar-shortening mixture, and mix well. Scoop up a scant tablespoon of dough with a spoon, and form into a walnut-sized ball. Place the ball onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and press the ball slightly with your thumb to create a flat spot on top (don't flatten the cookie). Dip the end of a bamboo chopstick into the red food coloring, and touch the center of each cookie to make a red dot.

4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven until slightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on a rack.